Head of Aircraft Quality (R6146)

About Shield AI:

Shield AI is a venture-backed defense technology company with the mission of protecting service members and civilians with intelligent systems. Our products include Hivemind autonomy software, V-BAT and X-BAT aircraft, and Aechelon simulation and synthetic reality technologies.

Job Description:

We’re looking for a hands-on quality leader to take X-BAT from early prototype builds through production launch and into rate production.

You will build the aircraft quality organization and establish the quality capability for our new Seattle-area production facility, X-Forge 3. You’ll own product and process quality across prototype, pre-series and production builds, ensuring that lessons from development become effective controls as the program scales.

This role owns the Quality Management System, quality engineering, inspection, nonconformance management and audit readiness for the X-BAT manufacturing operation. You’ll partner with Engineering, Manufacturing Engineering, Production and Supply Chain to prevent defects, resolve recurring problems and deliver aircraft that meet technical, customer and applicable regulatory requirements.

We need a technically credible leader who can build practical, scalable systems, make sound decisions under schedule pressure and challenge senior stakeholders constructively while keeping execution moving.

Build quality into prototype and launch

• Lead quality planning and execution for X-BAT prototype and development builds, establishing appropriate inspection, test evidence and build records as designs evolve.
• Partner with Engineering and Manufacturing Engineering to identify product and process risks, define critical controls and build quality requirements into tooling, work instructions and test plans.
• Establish configuration and traceability controls with Engineering and Production, ensuring each aircraft’s build status, deviations and nonconformances are understood and documented.
• Capture lessons from build, integration and test issues, and drive their incorporation into design changes, manufacturing processes and future builds.
• Define quality readiness criteria for pre-series builds and production launch, validating inspection methods, process controls, workforce competence and closure of significant risks.

Establish the Seattle quality operation

• Recruit, develop and lead the quality team, building the technical capability and frontline support needed as aircraft production grows.
• Establish and maintain a lean, effective QMS for X-Forge 3, aligned with Shield AI’s wider quality framework, AS9100, ISO 9001 and applicable customer requirements.
• Lead certification readiness and internal, customer and external audits, driving timely closure and sustained effectiveness of corrective actions.
• Set up receiving, in-process and final inspection capability, including measurement equipment, calibration, training and quality records, in partnership with relevant functions.

Deliver quality at rate

• Own production quality performance, using first-pass yield, defects, rework and escapes to focus action where it improves aircraft quality and production flow.
• Lead containment, root cause analysis and corrective action for manufacturing quality issues, with clear functional ownership and verification that fixes prevent recurrence.
• Own the nonconformance and MRB process, ensuring disposition decisions follow approved technical authority and that affected hardware remains controlled.
• Partner with Supply Chain and supplier quality teams to resolve incoming quality issues and improve supplier performance before defects disrupt aircraft builds.
• Work with Engineering and Production to define acceptance evidence and ensure aircraft meet approved requirements before release.
• Use digital quality tools and manufacturing data to strengthen traceability, expose trends and reduce manual administration as production scales.
• Give leadership a clear view of quality performance, product risks and readiness; escalate or stop affected work when requirements or product integrity cannot be assured.

• Bachelor’s degree in engineering, quality or a related technical field.
• 10+ years of leadership experience in quality, product assurance or reliability within aerospace, defense technology or high-reliability manufacturing.
• Demonstrated success leading quality through prototype or new product introduction and into sustained production.
• Proven ability to build and scale quality teams and systems while supporting fast-paced development and manufacturing operations.
• Deep expertise in containment, root cause analysis, MRB, corrective and preventive action, and continuous improvement.
• Strong working knowledge of AS9100 and ISO 9001, with practical implementation and audit leadership experience.
• Experience with complex assembly, inspection, configuration control, traceability and product acceptance.
• Ability to influence and challenge senior leaders constructively across Engineering, Production and Supply Chain.
• A hands-on leadership style and sound technical judgment, balancing timely execution with clear quality standards and accountability.

• Direct experience taking a new aircraft program from prototype through production launch and rate ramp.
• Experience establishing quality capability at a new manufacturing facility or transferring production between sites.
• Experience in aircraft final assembly, systems integration, production test and reliability improvement.
• Experience deploying digital quality systems, statistical process controls and data-driven defect prevention.
• Advanced degree in engineering, quality or a related technical discipline.